School board issues complex'

Complex troubles that sparked the sacking of the Dalefield School board of trustees will take commissioner Tim White "some time" to resolve, according to a Ministry of Education spokesperson.

A senior manager at the ministry earlier told Wairarapa Times-Age the board - comprising principal Kevin Jephson, a staff representative and five parents - had been dissolved "because of the risk of the educational performance of its students and the operation of the school".

The board was sacked several days after Mr White was appointed as commissioner in early March at the decile 5 school, which has a roll of 56 pupils.

Mr White will remain in the role "until there is satisfactory evidence that a functioning board can be elected".

Mr White, who was commissioner at Makoura College in Masterton for almost three years from 2008, had been involved in education "for a number of years as a past principal".

The ministry spokesperson said Mr White had held advisory roles that included working for School Support Services and training school trustees. He had also had worked with primary and secondary schools in governance and management roles.

The "most urgent issues to be addressed" at Dalefield School, the spokesperson said, included the absence of adequate policies and procedures for monitoring improved student progress, achievement and engagement; variable effective teacher practice; inadequate curriculum and assessment management; low student achievement against National Standards; inadequate board systems and process such as planning and reporting, complaint management and self review; and development of professional leadership.

"The commissioner has been working in the school to understand each of the issues. These are complex issues that will take some time to work through."

The latest ERO report on Dalefield School was published in December and had recommended ministry intervention after board "incompetence" was discovered and the school was deemed as "not well placed to improve its performance".